Bridged integral liner

Abstract

A carton blank having an integral liner, an erected carton made from the blank and a process for making the carton blank. The integral liner includes portions excised therefrom to reduce paperboard resource and refuse. The blanks are preferably made by cutting two reverse-oriented blanks and mating liners from a single web of paperboard.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An erected carton comprising a first side panel, a front panel adjacent thereto, a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and opposite the first side panel, a rear panel between said first and second side panels, bottom closure flaps, top closure flaps, a tear tape suitable for separating portions of the panels from each other and extending from at least said first side panel through said front panel to said second side panel, said tear tape not functionally traversing all of the rear panel, whereby said rear panel acts as a hinge when said tear tape is removed from said first and second side panels and said front panel, an integral liner including at least three walls, one of which is separated from one of said panels by a score line, at least one of said integral liner walls being in the shape of a rectangle or square having material excised therefrom to form an area of excision at a bottom edge thereof, a portion of the liner distal to said area of excision being at least 80% of the height of one of said carton panels. 
     
     
       2. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said liner includes exactly three walls. 
     
     
       3. The carton according to claim 1 wherein said liner walls comprise two rectangular side walls and a front wall intermediate said side walls. 
     
     
       4. The carton according to claim 3 wherein said front wall has said material excised. 
     
     
       5. The carton according to claim 3 wherein said excised material is taken from said front wall and said side wall which is separated from one of said carton panels by a score line. 
     
     
       6. The carton of claim 1 wherein the score line separating said liner from said panels further comprises segmented cut lines. 
     
     
       7. The carton of claim 1 wherein a portion of said liner has a height of no greater than 60% of the front, rear and first and second side panels. 
     
     
       8. A carton blank comprising a first side panel, a front panel adjacent thereto, a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and opposite the first side panel, a rear panel between said first and second side panels, bottom closure flaps, top closure flaps, a tear tape suitable for separating portions of the panels from each other and functionally extending from at least said first side panel through said front panel to said second side panel, said tear tape not functionally traversing all of the rear panel, whereby said rear panel acts as a hinge when said tear tape is removed from said first and second side panels and said front panel, an integral liner including at least three walls, one of which is separated from one of said panels by a score line, at least one of integral liner walls being in the shape of a rectangle or square having material excised therefrom at a bottom edge thereof to form an area of excision, a portion of the liner distal to said area of excision being at least 80% of the height of one of said carton panels. 
     
     
       9. The carton blank according to claim 8 wherein said liner includes exactly three walls. 
     
     
       10. The carton blank according to claim 8 wherein said liner walls comprise two rectangular side walls and a front wall intermediate said side walls. 
     
     
       11. The carton blank according to claim 10 wherein said front wall has said material excised therefrom. 
     
     
       12. The carton blank according to claim 10 wherein one of said side walls is proximal to said carton and the other is distal to said carton and said excised material is taken from said front wall and said proximal side wall. 
     
     
       13. The carton blank of claim 8 wherein a portion of said liner has a height of no greater than 60% of the front, rear and first and second side panels. 
     
     
       14. An erected carton comprising a first side panel, a front panel adjacent thereto, a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and opposite the first side panel, a rear panel between said first and second side panels, bottom closure flaps, top closure flaps, a tear tape suitable for separating portions of the panels from each other and extending from at least said first side panel through said front panel to said second side panel, said tear tape not functionally traversing all of the rear panel, whereby said rear panel acts as a hinge when said tear tape is removed from said first and second side panels and said front panel, an integral liner including at least three walls, one of which is separated from one of said panels by a score line, said liner terminating in a free edge of one of said integral liner walls which liner free edge is generally parallel to said score line separating said one of said integral liner walls from said one of said panels, at least one of said integral liner walls having material excised therefrom at a bottom edge thereof creating an area of excision, said area of excision comprising a side proximal said separating score line and a side distal said separating score line, said area of excision comprising a free edge generally parallel to said terminating free edge on the side proximal to said separating score line, a portion of said liner having a height of no greater than 60% of the front, rear and first and second side panels, a portion of said liner distal to said area of excision being at least 80% of the height of one of said carton panels. 
     
     
       15. The carton of claim 14 wherein the score line separating said liner from said panels further comprises segmented cut lines. 
     
     
       16. The carton of claim 14 wherein said liner includes a top edge which is generally perpendicular to said separating score line. 
     
     
       17. A carton blank comprising a first side panel, a front panel adjacent thereto, a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and opposite the first side panel, a rear panel between said first and second side panels, bottom closure flaps, top closure flaps, a tear tape suitable for separating portions of the panels from each other and functionally extending from at least said first side panel through said front panel to said second side panel, said tear tape not functionally traversing all of the rear panel, whereby said rear panel acts as a hinge when said tear tape is removed from said first and second side panels and said front panel, an integral liner including at least three walls, one of which is separated from one of said panels by a score line, said liner terminating in a free edge of one of said integral liner walls, which liner free edge is generally parallel to said score line separating said one of said integral liner walls from the one of said panels, at least one of said integral liner walls having material excised therefrom at a bottom edge thereof to form an area of excision, said area of excision having a side proximal said separating score line and a side distal said separating score line said area of excision comprising a free edge generally parallel to said terminating free edge on the side proximal said separating score line a portion of said liner having a height of no greater than 60% of the front, rear and first and second side panels, a portion of said liner distal to said area of excision being at least 80% of the height of one of said carton panels. 
     
     
       18. The carton blank of claim 17 wherein said liner includes a top edge which is generally perpendicular to said separating score line. 
     
     
       19. An erected carton comprising a first side panel, a front panel adjacent thereto and separated therefrom by a first score line, a second side panel adjacent to the front panel and separated therefrom by a second score line and opposite the first side panel, a rear panel between said first and second side panels, said first and second score lines being parallel, bottom closure flaps, top closure flaps, and an integral liner including at least three walls extending from one of said panels and separated therefrom by a score line parallel to said first and second score lines, said liner including an excision forming an area of excision at a bottom edge thereof, a portion of the liner distal to said excision being at least 80% of the height of one of said carton panels. 
     
     
       20. The carton of claim 19 wherein a portion of the liner is substantially the same height as one of said panels. 
     
     
       21. The carton of claim 19 wherein said liner has an end proximal to the separating scoreline and an end distal to said separating score line and the liner is substantially the same height as one of said panels at the end of said liner distal to said separating score line. 
     
     
       22. A process for fabricating a carton blank having front, first side, rear, and second side panels, said front panel being separated from said first and second side panels by parallel score lines, comprising cutting from a single web of paperboard two carton blanks having integral liners in reverse position with respect to each other each of the liners of said two blanks having material excised therefrom at least part of which forms the liner of the other of the two blanks, said liner being separated from one of said front, first side, rear or second side panels by a score line parallel to said parallel score lines. 
     
     
       23. The process of claim 22 wherein said liner comprises at least three walls adapted for lining three panels of said carton blank.